AF_CH01.fm Page 7 Monday, October 2, 2006 11:34 AM
Section 1 Summary
Africa’s Regions and Landforms
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Africa’s Rivers
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Africa has four large rivers: the Nile (nyl), the Congo
(KAHN goh), the Zambezi (zam BEE zee), and the Niger
(NY jur). Parts of these rivers can be used for travel. But
waterfalls and steep rapids keep ships from sailing the
whole way between Africa’s interior and the coast.
What does the word landforms
mean in the underlined
sentence? What clues
M
ar
can you find in the
Te k
xt
words, phrases, or
sentences that
follow it? Circle the words that help
you understand what landforms
means.
E
10
Vocabulary Strategy
TH
5
Africa has more than 50 countries. The continent also
has four regions: North Africa, West Africa, East Africa,
and Central and Southern Africa. Each region of Africa
has several types of climates and landforms.
North Africa has rocky mountains and the world’s
largest desert, the Sahara (suh HA ruh). West Africa has
the most people. It is mostly grassland. The soil there is
good for farming. East Africa has many mountains, a
few plateaus, grasslands, and hills. Much of Central
and Southern Africa is flat or hilly grassland. It also
has rain forests, mountains, swamps, and deserts.
Africa is often called the plateau continent. That is
because much of it is flat and has a high elevation. Not
all of Africa is flat, though. All four regions have
mountains. The highest are in East Africa. A strip of coastal plain runs along much of Africa’s
coast. This land is dry and sandy in some places. In
other places, it is marshy and moist. In the West African
country of Ghana, the coastal strip is only about 5 miles
(8 kilometers) wide. It ends in a long, steep slope. At the
top of the slope, there is a plateau.
Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, is in
East Africa. It is on the edge of the Great Rift Valley.
This valley was formed millions of years ago. The
continents pulled apart and left a rift that is 4,000 miles
(6,400 kilometers) long. Most of Africa’s major lakes are
located in or near the Great Rift Valley.
Reading Check
Why is Africa called the plateau
continent?
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Target Reading Skill
Reread to understand what
Africa’s interior means. When you
read the paragraph at the left again,
look for connections to other
words.
Key Terms
plateau (pla TOH) n. a large, flat area that rises above the
surrounding land; has at least one side that is steep
elevation (el uh VAY shun) n. the height of land above or below
sea level
rift (rift) n. a deep crack in Earth’s surface
Chapter 1
Section 1
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AF_CH01.fm Page 8 Tuesday, July 6, 2004 12:40 PM
Lengths of Africa’s Major Rivers
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40
Reading Check
45
What effect has the Aswan High
Dam had on the waters of the Nile?
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more than 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers)
2. Congo River
2,900 miles (4,677 kilometers)
3. Niger River
2,600 miles (4,180 kilometers)
4. Zambezi River
2,200 miles (3,540 kilometers)
The Nile is the longest river in the world. It is almost
twice as long as the Mississippi River. The White Nile is
in Sudan. The Blue Nile is in Ethiopia. These two rivers
are tributaries of the Nile. After they combine to form
the Nile, it flows north into the Mediterranean Sea.
People have farmed the land along the Nile for thousands of years. Yearly floods provided water for crops.
They also left behind a layer of silt, or tiny pieces of rock
and dirt. The silt made the soil fertile. In the 1960s, Egypt
built the Aswan High Dam on the Nile. A lake, called
Lake Nasser, was created behind the dam. Water from
Lake Nasser is used to water crops in the desert. Because
of the dam, the Nile no longer floods. The Congo River flows through the rain forests of
Central Africa. Hundreds of tributaries flow into the
Congo River. People farm along the river. They also
catch many kinds of fish.
The Niger flows north from Guinea, then bends
south. It provides water for farms in the valley around
it. Many people make their living fishing in the Niger.
The Zambezi is in Southern Africa. About halfway
to where it pours into the Indian Ocean, the Zambezi
plunges into a canyon. This creates the spectacular
waterfall known as Victoria Falls.
Review Questions
1. Name the four regions of Africa.
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2. Which river includes Victoria Falls?
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Key Terms
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Reading and Vocabulary Study Guide
tributary (TRIB yoo tehr ee) n. a river or stream that flows into a
larger river
fertile (FUR tul) adj. rich in the substances plants need to grow well
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1. Nile River